The practice of ships loading in ports depends largely on weather conditions for their safe execution. It implies that on days of inclement weather such as rain or high winds, the loading operation is compromised, as these conditions may alter the characteristics of the load or generate severe security risks during the idealization of the load.
Based on this scenario, several initiatives to generate some protection to the load and operation were developed, focusing on covering the opening of the basement and its connection with the feed loader tube to be introduced and allocated in the basement of the ship.
In a detailed observation of the methodologies used in the loading of ships, it was noted that the use of a retractable system, capable of locking up the basement of the ship, would allow the shipment of goods, especially bulk, even in unfavorable environmental conditions, especially in respect to weather and winds. It was also noted that this system would be able to avoid the dispersion of particulates resulting from the loading of bulk cargoes at the port terminal, resulting in reduction of operating losses, arising from environmental contamination of this dispersion and the incidence of birds and rodents.
Thus, this device provides comprehensive solutions in the field of maritime transport, since, by allowing the shipment of goods within the basements of the vessel, particularly bulk, regardless of weather conditions, it decreases congestion of ships awaiting berthing, so as to expedite the transport of both goods destined for Cargo Ships, and the ones intended for Modular Load Ships (carrying goods packaged in containers). In-depth analysis of the state of the art, it is noted that the patent PI0500639 is characterized by protecting the products to be unloaded or loaded on ships, regardless of their nature, which is stored or deposited in the cargo holds of the respective vessels moored at the port for this purpose. It constitutes a metal support and a layer of waterproof material which moves together with the discharge tube up and down according to operator control via the hoisting ropes, which can wind and unwind the sides of the same material, protecting against the weather when necessary, thus avoiding product waste, either by rain or any other damage caused by external agents. However this patent shows a different constructive embodiment.
The document PI9910043 presents a vessel hatch cover of an impervious laminated material that covers the hatch of a vessel in order to allow the loading of bulky materials during bad weather while protecting the load from potential damage or damage caused by rainwater or other contaminants. The vessel hatch cover includes a structure or superstructure covering the open hatch of a ship. A flexible lightweight sheet material impervious to water and stretched over the structure to prevent any moisture or other contaminants from entering the hold of the vessel while the vessel cover is in place. However this document provides a different constructive embodiment.
The protection JP2005104241 shows a cover that when the rain begins on the outer surface of a hull, respective tilting arms are connected with the respective vertical pole and are inclined and elongated by means of a control panel so as to adjust to the size and geometry of the hull. Thus a support arm is brought against the side of the hull, so that a covering layer forms a space between the wall and the dock side of the shell to be covered. The protective has a side cover of ships moving away from the characteristics presented by the innovation that is proposed herein.
The patent JP2004051073 shows a U-shaped elastic member fitted on both faces or one face of an opening in an upper end plate with adhesive materials or the alike. The patent describes only ships hatch covers, moving away from the peculiarities presented by said innovation.
The document JP2002302092 discloses a frame that has a size able to work around a hatch supported horizontally by a mainstay of wharf. A foldable type raincoat is released within the frame, and is opened and closed over the width of the vessel by a motor through a chain. The cover can be regulated in width direction of the vessel and also suspended. A lifting hook is provided in the frame and a device for prevention of precipitation is loaded into and out of the loading vase. The object thereof does not have the same constructive embodiment, not colliding with the peculiarities shown by the proposed innovation.
The protection JP11029091 has a quayside facility for cargo handling provided with a crane for the discharge between quay and ship, and is equipped with a hatch having a cover that can be closed and a removable load suspended cover, provided with hook for suspending the crane load. The hatch cover is a cover receiver for mounting the suspended load cover. Such protection does not have the same constructive embodiments, moving away from the characteristics revealed by the aforementioned innovation.
The patent EP0413131 discloses a protection against rain for vertical conveyors, in particular to vessels covers in which sections of the cover are connected to the vertical transport and can be opened and closed in like an umbrella. The cover sections are disposed in relation to the vertical transport, so that an inverted umbrella is formed, that is, the lower edges of the individual cover sections are connected to the barrel of the vertical conveyor, while the boundary edges above can be folded outwards and towards the vertical conveyor tube. This document deviates from the desired characteristics of innovation for not showing the same constructive embodiments.
The document GB2125345 shows a conveyor, such as a helical ramp or the like having sideway rain cover sections raised and tied by strings. The sections are similar to an umbrella, and are connected to at least three ropes transport connected to a rope reel which is mounted on the conveyor so that the vertical side sections of the cover can be raised and lowered. The sections are coupled to a symmetrical and conical center over a bushing mounted on the vertical conveyor and are vertically movable by means of roller bearings. The roof is associated with the hatch of a vessel. The patent does not provide the same solution as the proposed ship loader.
In summary, what appears in the art does not solve the problems relating to the containment of suspended particulate matter which are generated during loading, especially of bulk in ships. Neither addresses the port ineffectiveness because of bad weather and, finally, does not prevent entry of birds and other contaminants within the holds of ships.
Based on these facts and considering the continuing development of products, we propose an innovation, now claiming the privileges of its protection for its novelty and inventive activity, as explained below. Therefore, the present innovation is a protection system for ships loading provided with a covering device, comprising a universal adaptable cover to any size of the hold, regardless of its opening being provided horizontal or vertically, associated with a coupling and operation device, consisting of a ring structure that houses the fastener, a mount responsible for moving tractor, descent and gathering the protection cover, and a monitoring system of loading, capable of generating the perception and visualization of the charge level within the compartment loaded.
In alternative embodiments, such protection system allows for radial movement of bulk scattering inside the ship's holds and use of a pivoting mechanism that compensates the displacements of the ship loader in order to avoid deformation of the protective cover and possible damage to the supporting structure.
The innovation brings as main advantages: (i) the improvement of environmental port conditions due to enclosure of the ship's hold during load time, preventing the dispersion of particles, (ii) provide conditions for operating the loading during days of bad weather; (iii) streamline the procedures for loading, allowing for uninterrupted operation. As a consequence, one can predict that the use of this protection system for ship loading will facilitate the reduction of congestion of ships awaiting berths, will act by preventing access of birds and contaminants in the environment of the load, will collaborate in the reduction of waste products shipped due to the enclosed supply, will help to reduce operating costs and reduction of maintenance caused by particulate contamination, providing thus less impact on the environment, indirectly helping to reduce contractual fines and allowing the reduction of storage costs.